Late-Season Waiver Wire Pickups: Norby, Herz, Horwitz

Connor Norby – 2B, 3B, OF – Miami Marlins

Much of the Orioles fanbase seemed to be upset that the Marlins poached one of their better infield prospects at the trade deadline. But with how stacked Baltimore was in terms of prospect capital, it was a move that Mike Elias and company were comfortable in making.

Since that trade happened, Norby has been one of the hottest hitters in the league. Finally some good news for Marlins fans! 

Norby got lost in the depth that is the Baltimore farm system. Now that he’s getting a shot to play every day at the major league level, that dangerous thing called confidence is coming alive.

His Statcast page suggests he’s barreling balls at one of the highest rates a player can reach, while he also has sneaky 95th-percentile speed.

To be honest, we should’ve seen this coming. Across 122 games at all three minor league levels, Norby put 29 balls over the fence while taking 16 bags and slugging .526. He continued this trend in 2023 with not as many home runs but a higher average (.290).

One reason I like him is the same as many professional general managers: The kid is flexible when it comes to playing the field. His eligibility at 2B, 3B, and OF makes him an attractive piece as we navigate the fantasy baseball playoffs. 

DJ Herz – SP – Washington Nationals

Offense is way down in 2024, which could mean a couple of things. First, hitters could just be off. Hard to agree with that notion considering we saw much bigger offensive numbers as recently as 2023.

Second, pitchers could’ve gotten much better, or they could be getting luckier. It’s hard to tell. But I do know one thing: pitchers with a profile like Herz’s seem to be achieving great success in 2024. 

Herz, who had mediocre stats in his minor league career, has found positive results in his first major league season. So far, he’s put up 93 strikeouts in just 75.1 innings with a 3.82 ERA and 1.22 WHIP.

Better yet, the FIP supports what he’s doing, as it sits at 3.71. He doesn’t get a lot of support from his offense, and he’s only racked up a 3-7 record. However, if you’ve committed to picking up a Washington Nationals pitcher, the goal shouldn’t be gaining wins, but rather stabilizing your ratios and looking for K upside. 

If you need a bit more persuading when it comes to Herz, I’d invite you to visit his Statcast page. His whiff, strikeout, and hard-hit rates are all 80th percentile or higher.

At times the lefty can get a bit generous with his free passes, a risk you may run by picking him up. Yet, he has limited the damage, and his ability to miss bats gets him out of such situations. I see a bit of Robbie Ray in him, not a bad comparison considering Ray is a former Cy Young winner.

Spencer Horwitz – 1B, 2B – Toronto Blue Jays

You may be thinking: Why not take a chance on the prospect pedigree of a guy like Kyle Manzardo at first base?

Well, here’s the truth. As we are right in the middle of the fantasy playoffs with your championship most likely fast approaching, take the guy who’s already been producing in the majors. Plus Spencer Horwitz is playing regularly while also being eligible at second base, unlike Manzardo.

Through 83 games, Horwitz has inserted himself into a weak Blue Jays lineup in which he is one of the only bright spots. An .834 OPS with 12 long balls isn’t a bad start to your major league career (though he did also get a brief taste back in 2023).

One of my favorite things about his profile is his ability to hit to all fields. The spray chart is balanced, something I enjoy witnessing out of such a young talent. 

If there’s one word to describe Horwitz, it’d have to be “solid”. His minor league numbers remained similar from 2021-23, and he capped it off with an impressive .337 average and .945 OPS in his final Triple-A season.

Horwitz has remained under the radar even during his productive 2024. A 15% roster rate on ESPN was shocking to me. It’s not a sexy addition, but it’s what could be the difference at this point in the fantasy baseball season.

Trevor Story – SS – Boston Red Sox

When the fantasy football season comes around, we often forget to pay necessary attention to players coming off the injured list or prospect promotions in the baseball world. Trevor Story is back after five months of absence, and he might be the middle infield help you’ve been missing all along. 

Too many of us fail to remember just how good Story was just a few years ago. The special blend of power and speed could still be there because, at 31, he’s really not as old as you may think. And as a part of this Boston offense that tends to feed off itself, Story could thrive with strong lineup support. 

Yes, he probably had a bit of help from the generous Colorado environment earlier in his career, but you can never look away from somebody who once hit 37 homers and stole 27 bags in a season.

Injuries have gotten in the way of his career lately, but there may just be more to this ‘story’ if he has finally overcome that intimidating physical and mental hill.

JP Sears – SP – Oakland Athletics

The only reason JP Sears made it on this list is simply because the average baseball fan still thinks this Oakland A’s team is the same one from 2023.

That would be wrong because they have improved in big ways. Lawrence Butler, Brent Rooker, and JJ Bleday aren’t the only reason for this turnaround in 2024. Let’s put some respect on the name of JP Sears. Obviously, he’s not getting a lot of it these days considering his low roster rates. 

Sears has been a workhorse for this Oakland rotation. At the beginning of the season, who would’ve thought this guy would rack up 11 wins with a 1.19 WHIP by the beginning of September?

Sears does a good job of making hitters earn their way on base by limiting the walks. He doesn’t strike out the world and never will, that’s just the type of pitcher he is. But what he does tremendously is pick and choose his spots, painting the corners as much as he can.

We’re currently at a point in the season when playing matchups is crucial. Sears has an upcoming match with the Chicago White Sox, who by the end of the season will be the worst major league baseball team of all time.

Later in September, Sears also pitches against the Mariners, who rank sixth-worst in team OPS and have struck out more times than any other team. Sign me up for those matchups! Pick up JP and don’t look back.

Stats updated prior to games on September 12.